Combination shipping and display box



Aug- 29, 1967 F. L. NEWLIN ETAL 3,33%,392

COMBINATION SHIPPING AND DISPLAY BOX 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug, 17, 1964 fsa (25 m R. m

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COMBINATION SHIPPING AND DISPLAY BOX Filed Aug.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FEEDER/CK L. /VEWL//v7 JR.

g., A RNEY ug. 29, i967 F. l.. NEWLIN ETAL COMBINATION SHIPPING AND DISPLAY Box 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 17. 1964 INVENTORS FEEDER/CK L. NEWL//V JR. DENN/S L. DOUGHTV @A .afb/ZM,

Y A RNEY ug- 29, E967 F. l.. NEWLIN ETAL 3,333,392

COMBINATION SHIPPING AND DISPLAY BOX Filed Aug. 17, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOKS FEEDER/CK L. /VEWL/IV JR. DENN/S L. DOUGHTV United States Patent O 3,338,392 COMBINATION SHIPPING AND DISPLAY BOX Frederick L. Newlin, Jr., Newburgh, and Dennis L.

Doughty, Evansville, Ind., assiguors, by mesne assignments, to Walter E. Heller & Company, Inc., New York, NX., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 390,069 8 Claims. (Cl. 206-45.25)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in boxes to be utilized for shipping and delivering merchandise to the retailer and/or ultimate consumer and then also for display purposes to aid sales by the retailer and selection or use by the consumer and particularly seeks to provide a pencil box that can serve as an easel box.

Although pencils are sometimes sold singly, they are generally packaged in lots of ve, ten, twelve or twentylive for the convenience of the buyers who want several pencils and also to encourage quantity buying. Generally, the better quality pencils are boxed in the particular quantity to be sold.

The boxes are generally two pieces with one telescoped within the other and an attached cover ap at one end which must be opened and cl-osed each time a pencil is put into or taken from the box.

Colored pencils are used extensively in art, especially for children and a stand or easel-type arrangement is desirable when using a plurality of colors. However, if such an arrangement is to be part of the pencil box at time of sales, the box must be sturdy for shipment, attractive for sales and economical for competition.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a shipping and retailing box for a plurality of pencils that can also serve as an unsupported easel to display the pencils for selling or for selection of the user when painting, said easel being readily transformed back to a regular box at any time.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a box where the pencils are visibly displayed to the potential purchasers and are adapted to fit into a colorful display with the box to` encourage further sales.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a box that can readily and simply be constructed from a single molded blank.

I have found that such a box may be formed from a molded plastic or similar blank that permits the shipping container to be readily changed to an easel by opening same and bending back the upper half of the box.

With the above objects and features in view, the nature of which will be more apparent, the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the drawings, the accompanying detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a front plan View of a closed pencil box constructed in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top end View thereof;

FIG. 4 is a bottom end View thereof;

FIG. 5 is a back plan view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a plan view Iof the blank therefor;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the box in open position;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the box in easel form with pencils shown in dotted lines;

FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of the easel form but without pencils;

FIG. 10 is a section taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a blank having modified posts to secure the box in closed position;

FIG. 12 is a section through a modified post and insert FIG. 14 is a section through a modified post and securl ing device of the upper half of the box when in closed position; and

FIG. 15 is an enlarged perspective view of the elements FIG. 13 when separated a short distance.

This invention as illustrated is designed for the oonventional dozen pencil box but obviously may be sized for smaller or larger quantities and may be used for other writing instruments or any goods that can use this type of package.

The boxes of this invention consist primarily of a bottom storage section 11, a Ibase panel 12, and the supporting panel 13. The bottom storage section has a front panel 14 and a rear panel 16, whereas the base panel 12 and supporting -panel 13 form the top storage section 17 when the box is closed. As best shown in FIGS. 6 and 11, each pair of adjoining panels is joined by a flexible hinge portion 18 which is an integral portion of the single polypropylene blank 19. Any tough flexible material may be used, e.g. various other plastics such as polyethylene, Vinyl chloride, polyurethane, etc.

The front bottom panel 14 has side walls 21, a bott-om wall 22, an aperture 23, and an outer depressed area 25. The rear bottom panel 16 is provided with aperture 28. The supporting panel 13 has angled side walls 29 and base panel 12 has fitting angled side walls 31, a window 32, a tab 33 with a button 34 thereon and a top wall 36. As shown in FIGS. 6 and l0, the front bottom panel 14 has six posts 24 which are each provided with deep openings 26 and the rear bottom panel 16 has associated snap inserts 27.

The bottom storage section 11 is formed by snapping inserts 27 into openings 26 and maintained generally permanently in that position as shown in the FIGS. 1 to l0 (except FIG. 6 for the blank as originally formed). In the modification shown in FIGS. 11 to 15, the front bottom panel 14 has six rectangular posts 41, each spaced a short distance from one of the side walls 21 and the rear bottom panel 16 has associated posts 44 that lit snugly into the corresponding spaces between posts 41 and the walls 21 to maintain the closed position of the bottom section. This securing of the two panels is further tightened by bosses 43 and 45 on the side walls 21 and posts 44 respectively. The bosses posts 41 and the adjacent side of post 44. The sidewalls may also be provided with depressions 42 if desired.

If the box is to be used for storage or shipment, the pencils 37 are placed in section 11 and panels 13 and 12 closed around the pencils with button 34 being snapped into aperture 23 to lock the closed box. The pencils, however, present an attractive view through window 32 for sales display purposes, for example.

When it is desired to convert the box to an easel the button 34 is unsnapped and the entire upper half of the box pivoted back until base panel 12 is horizontal (FIGS. 8 and 9), whereupon tab 33 is snapped through aperture 28 to lock the easel in position, support panel 13 now extending from the horizontal base to the top of the storage section. At vany time, of course, the easel can be reconverted to the permanent box or the blank (useful for shipment from the plastics manufacturer to the pencil maker).

The panels 12 and 13 may be secured to each other in the same manner as panels 14 and 16, left blank along the sides as in FIG. 6, or secured as shown in FIGS. 11, 14 and l5 where each side wall 29 is provided with an overhanging lip 47 above a bulge 46 and each side wall could obviously be on 31 is provided with a corresponding boss 48 that catches the associated lip.

The depressed area 25 is for direct printin-g or a decalcomania of instructions, advertising, or other desirable message.

Thus the package of this invention which is readily and quickly lmade from a single integral blank, serves as a shipping, storage, display and utility container. Although shown for pencils, the package can obviously be used for other packaged items, particularly where display and utility as a holder are important. Moreover, the size can be adapted to the particular item or items to be packaged.

While the preferred embodiment of the box has been described and illustrated, it will be appa-rent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An integral one-piece plastic container for writing instruments comprising a rectangular bottom storage section and a convertible top section flexibly attached thereto, said bottom section including a lower front panel,

a bottom panel attached to front panel,

a lower rear panel attached to the other end of said bottom panel,

said lower panels having side walls that meet,

one of said lower panels having a series of posts along both side edges,

the other of said lower panels having a corresponding series of studs along both side edges that frictionally it with said posts to secure said lower panels together,

and `means at both the free end of said lower front panel and the bottom of said lower rear panel to grasp a tab,

said convertible top section including an upper rear panel flexibly attached to the upper end of said lower rear panel,

a top panel exibly attached to the top of said upper rear panel,

an upper ront panel flexibly attached to the other end of said top panel,

said upper panels having side walls that meet when the panels `are parallel and continuous with the associated lower panels,

and a tab carried by the free end of panel, whereby said container is closed when said tab is grasped by the means at the free end of said lower front panel and said container forms an easel when said tab is grasped by the means at the bottom of said lower front panel.

2. An integral one-piece plastic container for writing instruments comprising a rectangular bottom storage section and a convertible top section flexibly attached thereto, said 4bottom section including a lower ront panel,

a bottom panel attached to front panel,

a lower rear panel attached to the other end of said bottom panel,

said lower panels having side walls that meet,

one of said lower panels having a series of posts with openings therein along both side edges,

the other of said lower panels having a corresponding series of inserts along both side edges that snap-tit into said openings to secure said lower panels together, and means at both the free end of said lower front panel and the bottom of said lower rear panel to grasp a tab, said convertible top section including an upper rear panel flexibly attached to the upper end of said lower near panel,

the bottom of said lower said upper front the bottom of said lower a top panel flexibly attached to the top of said upper rrear panel, an upper front panel of said top panel,

said upper panels having side walls that meet when the panels are parallel and continuous with the-asso ciated lower panels,

and a tab carried by lthe free end of said upper front panel, whereby said ycontainer is closed when said tab is grasped by the means at the free end of said lower front panel and said container forms an easel when said tab is grasped by the means at the bottom of said lower front panel.

3. An integral one-piece plastic container for writing instruments comprising a rectangular bottom storage section and a convertible top section llexibly attached thereto, said bottom section including a lower front panel,

a bottom panel attached to the bottom of said lower front panel,

a lower rear panel attached to the other end of said bottom panel, said lower panels having side walls that meet, one of said lower panels having a series of posts along both sides spaced slightly from said side walls,

the other of said lower panels having a corresponding series of inserts along both side edges that frictionally t between said posts and said side walls to secure said lower panels together, and means at both the `free end of said lower front panel and the bottom of said lower rear panel to ,grasp a tab, said convertible top section including an upper rear panel exibly attached to the upper end of said lower rear panel,

a top panel ilexibly attached to the top of said upper rear panel,

an upper front panel flexibly attached to of said top panel,

said upper panels having side walls that meet when the panels are parallel and continuous with the associated lower panels,

and a tab carried by the free end of said upper front panel, whereby said container is closed when said tab is grasped by the means at the free end of said lower front panel and said container forms an easel when said tab is grasped by the means at the bottom of said lower front panel.

4. The container of claim 3 wherein each upper panel side wall is provided with an interlocking boss to engage the corresponding boss -on the opposed wall.

5. A plastic blank for forming a writing instrument container comprising a lower front panel, a bottom panel flexibly attached to one end of said lower front panel, a lower rear panel ilexibly attached to the other end of said bottom panel, said lower panels having side walls that meet when said lower panels are parallel to each other, one of said lower panels having a series of posts along both side edges, the other of said lower panels having a corresponding series of studs along side edges that frrictionally t with said posts when said lower panels are parallel, an upper rear panel flexibly attached to the other end of said lower lrear panel, a top panel exibly attached to the other end of said upper rear panel, an upper front panel flexibly attached to the other end of said top panel, said upper panels having side walls that meet when said upper panels are parallel to each other, said upper front panel having a window and a closing means at the free end, said lower front panel at its free end and said lower rear panel at its bottom end having closing means to cooperate with said upper front panel closing means as desired to form a closed container and an easel respectively.

6. A plastic blank for forming a writing instrument container comprising a lower front panel, a bottom panel lexibly attached to one end of said lower front panel,

flexibly attached to the other end the other end a lower rear panel flexibly attached to the other end of said bottom panel, saidV lower lpanels having side walls that meet when said lower panels are parallel to each other, one of said lower panels having a series of posts with openings therein along both side edges, the othea of said lower panels have a corresponding series of inserts along both side edges :that snap-fit into said openings y when said lower panels are parallel, an upper rear panel flexibly attached to the other end of said lower rear panel, a top panel exibly attached to the other end of said upper trear panel, an upper front panel flexibly attached to the other end of said top panel, said upper panels having side walls that meet when said upper panels are parallel to each other, said upper front panel having a window and a closing means at the free end, said lower front panel at its free end and said lower rear panel at its bottom end having closing means to cooperate with said upper front panel closing means as desired to form a closed container and an easel respectively.

7. A plastic blank for forming a writing instrument 2 container comprising a lower front panel, a bottom panel flexibly attached to one end of said lower front panel, a lower rear panel flexibly attached to the other end of said bottom panel, said lower panels having side walls that meet when said lower panels are parallel to each other, one of said lower panels having a series of posts along both sides spaced slightly from said side walls, the other of said lower panels having a corresponding series of studs that frictionally it between said posts Iand said side Walls when said lower panels are parallel, an upper rear panel exibly attached to the other end of said lower rear panel, -a top panel flexibly lattached to the other end of said upper rear panel, an upper front panel flexibly attached to the other end of said top panel, said upper panels having side Walls that meet when said upper panels are parallel to each other, said upper front panel having a window and a closing means at the free end, said lower front panel at its free end and said lower rear panel at its bottom end having closing means to cooperate with said upper front panel closing means as desired to form a closed container and an easel respectively.

8. The blank of claim 7 wherein each upper panel is provided with an interlocking boss to engage the corresponding boss on the opposed wall when said upper panels are parallel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Modern Packaging, December 1963, page 153, Mat.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN INTEGRAL ONE-PIECE PLASTIC CONTAINER FOR WRITING INSTRUMENTS COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR BOTTOM STORAGE SECTION AND A CONVERTIBLE TOP SECTION FLEXIBLE ATTACHED THERETO, SAID BOTTOM SECTION INCLUDING A LOWER FRONT PANEL, A BOTTOM PANEL ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID LOWER FRONT PANEL, A LOWER REAR PANEL ATTACHED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, SAID LOWER PANELS HAVING SIDE WALLS THAT MEET, ONE OF SAID LOWER PANELS HAVING A SERIES OF POSTS ALONG BOTH SIDE EDGES, THE OTHER OF SAID LOWER PANELS HAVING A CORRESPONDING SERIES OF STUDS ALONG BOTH SIDE EDGES THAT FRICTIONALLY FIT WITH SAID POSTS TO SECURE SAID LOWER PANELS TOGETHER, AND MEANS AT BOTH THE FREE END OF SAID LOWER FRONT PANEL AND THE BOTTOM OF SAID LOWER REAR PANEL TO GRASP A TAB, SAID CONVERTIBLE TOP SECTION INCLUDING 